Kent Street ejectment, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

Kent Street ejectment n.

also Kent Street distress

[Kent Street, Southwark, a very poor area in 16C London, where the landlords originated the practice]

the removal of the front door when tenants are more than two weeks in rent arrears.

1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Kent-street ejectment, to take away the street door: a method practised by the landlords in Kent-street, Southwark, when their tenants are above a fortnight’s rent in arrear.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1785].
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue [as cit. 1785].
1871		C. Hindley Old Book Collector’s Misc. n.p.: A kent-street ejectment — To take away the street door and windows: a method practised by landlords when the tenants are in arrears for rent.